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HOW MANY AMPS?

Butch Harley

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stanhope nj
My car has a 60 amp alternator solid state regulator the car has power door locks, cruise control, electric cut outs, power windows all 4, classic A/C, upgraded sound system, 2-12" spal 25 amp each electric fans, MSD 3wire distributor, halogen head lights 4 getting 12 volts so 60 amps can not handle it TUFF STUFF makes a 130 amps 1 wire or oem set up WILL THIS WORK??? also 1 wire or oem ?
 
I would suggest LED headlights and an Alternator upgrade as you are exploring, 100A min if LED headlights, 130A with halogen.
Your fans are your power hog.
In my gut I'm leaning towards OEM control for street and 1 wire for race applications.
 
Geez! 175 amps!!! I am no electrical expert, but I “thought” our wiring systems would only take 100amps or maybe 120amps for a late 75-78 Cordoba/Charger b-bodies. Honestly, I do t know
 
Mine has been completely rewired with a Haywire kit. I designed for it. You could create a sub set of wiring and fuses for the stuff like the fans to handle the power.
 
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Factory wiring was marginal @ 60 amps especially if you have not bypassed the ammeter.
These cars should have a new harness due to age even without putting moree Amps through the system. It is Amperage not voltage that is important. Your charging system needs to have at least 13.5 to 14 voltage
output. Check with a Multi meter do not rely on gauges.
 
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Your charging system needs to have at least 13.5 to 14 amp output. Check with a Multi meter do not rely on gauges.
I guess you wanted to mean volts

About the amps through the system… that’s not controlled by the alt, but by the car (accs, operation) request. The car (including a discharged batt if that stage floats on) will continue requesting SAME amps no matter the alt you have. The more accs activated, the more request for load (including the batt after a discharge stage) will float on. The deal is get a good alt able to provide that at the minimun speed as posible to keep safe the wiring for MORE amps being sourced by the alt when revving up after a “fail” or discharge stage when trying to source at iddle.
 
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I’ll agree with the old wiring sucks or any old wire period, especially for accessories. The new M&H harnesses are Cross Linked Polyethylene type GXL wire which is much more tolerant to heat than the original PVC type GPT wire that was used from the factory and thats exactly why I went with it along that it’s also plug and play. You’re spal fans will only use that many amps on initial start up, 40 while they are running if there the high performance 12” fans. If you plan on running the AC in hot weather be prepared to put a pusher on the condenser as those fans won’t be enough to cool the condenser also at idle and that would be the only time you’d have to run it. Change to LED lights or the relay upgrade on the Halogens. Of course ammeter delete is a must. I have more electrical accessories than you and I’m using a 160/100 amp at idle 1 wire powermaster recommended by them. Run a 4 gauge wire from the alt to the batter post. I cant remember what gauge the wire is from the factor, from the battery to the starter relay but mines an 8 gauge. I don’t use any maxi fuses or any of that other crap. I use the factory fusible link from the factory and have zero issues. I’d call powermaster and tell them what you plan on using accessorie wise.
 
I’ll agree with the old wiring sucks or any old wire period, especially for accessories. The new M&H harnesses are Cross Linked Polyethylene type GXL wire which is much more tolerant to heat than the original PVC type GPT wire that was used from the factory and thats exactly why I went with it along that it’s also plug and play. You’re spal fans will only use that many amps on initial start up, 40 while they are running if there the high performance 12” fans. If you plan on running the AC in hot weather be prepared to put a pusher on the condenser as those fans won’t be enough to cool the condenser also at idle and that would be the only time you’d have to run it. Change to LED lights or the relay upgrade on the Halogens. Of course ammeter delete is a must. I have more electrical accessories than you and I’m using a 160/100 amp at idle 1 wire powermaster recommended by them. Run a 4 gauge wire from the alt to the batter post. I cant remember what gauge the wire is from the factor, from the battery to the starter relay but mines an 8 gauge. I don’t use any maxi fuses or any of that other crap. I use the factory fusible link from the factory and have zero issues. I’d call powermaster and tell them what you plan on using accessorie wise.
M&H harness did you buy from year one?
 
Ammeter delete is not a must in 90% of the cases.

Running a wire between alt and batt keeping the factory one between alt and cab makes the factory fuselink useless

Factory wire between batt and starter relay is 10 gauge.
 
Ammeter delete is not a must in 90% of the cases.

Running a wire between alt and batt keeping the factory one between alt and cab makes the factory fuselink useless

Factory wire between batt and starter relay is 10 gauge.

This is not most cases. Delete it and be gone with it Satan and keeping the fusible link sure to hell does not make it useless on a “1 wire alternator”. You no longer use the wires from the cab to alt. Power from the alt goes through the 4 gauge wire to the batter, then the power from the battery goes through 10 gauge wire or on mine, 8 gauge wire to the starter relay and then from there it must go through the fusible link to get to the bulk head. Ground this set up out as I described and see what happens to the fusible link.
 
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Read the related threads about the “satanic ammeter” LOL.

And I said the fuse link becomes useless IF keeping the cab-alt wire. Why? Because in case of a short STILL if the fuse link blows, the power to feed it is still alive through the alt-cab wire. If was removed, is a diff story and then is not useless.
 
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Read the related threads about the “satanic ammeter” LOL.

And I said the fuse link becomes useless IF keeping the cab-alt wire. Why? Because in case of a short STILL if the fuse link blows, the power to feed it is still alive through the alt-cab wire. If was removed, is a diff story and then is not useless.
lol, I was just playing witch ya Nacho. I knew what ya meant. I’ve read your threads and many others about the Ammeter many moons ago and you’re exactly right about keeping the alt wires from the cab but I’m glad you mentioned it cause I find many don’t understand that.
 
My car has a 60 amp alternator solid state regulator the car has power door locks, cruise control, electric cut outs, power windows all 4, classic A/C, upgraded sound system, 2-12" spal 25 amp each electric fans, MSD 3wire distributor, halogen head lights 4 getting 12 volts so 60 amps can not handle it TUFF STUFF makes a 130 amps 1 wire or oem set up WILL THIS WORK??? also 1 wire or oem ?

I put my headlights, Cooling Fans, and A/C compressor clutch all on 30 Amp mini-relays in a Bussman 15300 series fuse/relay box mounted near the battery fender location. This gets power from the battery, and removes the heavy current loads from the original wiring harness. Fairly compact in size for what it is.
Alternator output wired to battery and not connected to stock wiring.
16 AWG fusible link feeding bulkhead connector battery and alternator terminals.
On the M&H wiring, I need to check wire diameter with insulation because it looks like the thinner TXL insulation than the thicker GXL? Same rating, but considering appearance.
link to fuse boxes:
https://catalog.waytekwire.com/Waytek-2024-Catalog-236/212/
Currently doing the same on The Convertible, but with the pricier ssVEC Power Distribution Module (PDM).
https://catalog.waytekwire.com/Waytek-2024-Catalog-236/206/
One main difference is the PDM has plug in harness connectors where the 15300 is wired directly through the back panel.
 
I put my headlights, Cooling Fans, and A/C compressor clutch all on 30 Amp mini-relays in a Bussman 15300 series fuse/relay box mounted near the battery fender location. This gets power from the battery, and removes the heavy current loads from the original wiring harness. Fairly compact in size for what it is.
Alternator output wired to battery and not connected to stock wiring.
16 AWG fusible link feeding bulkhead connector battery and alternator terminals.
On the M&H wiring, I need to check wire diameter with insulation because it looks like the thinner TXL insulation than the thicker GXL? Same rating, but considering appearance.
link to fuse boxes:
https://catalog.waytekwire.com/Waytek-2024-Catalog-236/212/
Currently doing the same on The Convertible, but with the pricier ssVEC Power Distribution Module (PDM).
https://catalog.waytekwire.com/Waytek-2024-Catalog-236/206/
One main difference is the PDM has plug in harness connectors where the 15300 is wired directly through the back panel.
His classic ac should already be fused and relayed with its own wiring connected straight to the battery as my Vintage air was. I’m glad you brought up the fans as I take it for granite that most people should know to add a fused relay for those and if he would use LED lights there would be no need to use any relays for the headlight wiring either but if not I highly recommend putting relays on the halogen lights and M&H is GXL. https://catalog.waytekwire.com/Waytek-2024-Catalog-236/206/

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